Come Along, Meet Paul Schnell and Friends
Since this was originally written Paul has had some major changes in his life. He married Anne and they live with their friends just a few miles from the shore of Lake Ontario. Two of their special friends participated in the outdoor nuptials. Now on to the article…
Here it is late August and after a busy but uneventful summer JR and I find ourselves, as Willie Nelson sings it, “On The Road Again”. The need to get outta Dodge has hit us again. As fortune would have it, JR and I received an invitation from Paul Schnell to come up and fish Lake Ontario.
Paul, a good friend and old college buddy of JR’s, lives with his son Caleb and their group of intimate friends in Lyndonville, New York. Lyndonville is east of Buffalo and just slightly south of the shore of Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is the eastern most of the Great Lakes and is filled by the others through the Niagara River and Niagara Falls. The lake then drains into the Atlantic Ocean through the St Lawrence River.
On the morning of the 22nd JR and I load our tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, and coolers into his pickup truck and head northwest. It will take the better part of a day to get to Paul’s as it is “a fur piece” as the old saying goes.
You will like Paul and his friends. I first met them several years ago when JR and I first went to visit him. I fell helplessly in love with one of his friends at that time.
She was a spectacular 20 year old young lady, and was awe inspiring. I am very pleased to introduce you to Liberty.
Liberty is a North American Bald Eagle and she captured my heart.
Next meet the Red Tail Hawk who is affectionately known as The Grumpy Old Man.
Guinevere is a Harris Hawk.
There are also several owls living with Paul. I found the Barred Owl to be a beautiful bird. The brown and white plumage makes the bird appear to be draped in a cape. This owl is also known as the "Who’s cooken for you" owl since that is what it’s call sounds like.
There are also a pair of Screech Owls. These are just cute little buggers. The Red and Gray Morph, full grown, will fit right in your coffee mug.
Next, why the birds live with Paul and Anne.